Harden heads to a familiar city to start a three game series…

The Rangers were more than happy to leave the open-air Target Field in Minneapolis to head to Chicago to start a three game series with the White Sox.  The Rangers just finished a three game series with the Twins where they were swept.  The Rangers are now a half-game back in the West heading into the three game series with Sox.

The White Sox just finished a 7 game, two city road trip starting in Cleveland against the Indians and finished with a four game series with Rays in Tampa Bay.  Over the road trip they had a record of 4-7.  They split the last series with the Rays.  They currently have a overall record of 22-28.  They will send Mark Buehrle (3-5 4.38 ERA) to the mound to face off against former Chicago Cub, Rangers starter Rich Harden (2-1 5.14ERA).

In last night’s loss against the Twins, Rangers starter Derek Holland did not record an out in the second inning before being pulled for reliever Matt Harrison.  Holland who had made his last start on May 22 before making a relief appearance on May 26 pitching one inning giving up one scored run.

When he stepped on the mound, his fastball which is usually 95-98 was around 86mph before eventually hitting over 91 before the inning ended.  The Rangers coaching and training staff thought he maybe injured, but they allowed him to go back out for the second inning giving up 2 walks and a single before being pulled. 

Holland was diagnosed with inflammation of the rotator cuff in his left shoulder and will be placed on the disabled list before Tuesday’s game against the White Sox.  In four starts and five appearances Holland has a 2-1 record with a 4.19 ERA.  It will remain to be seen until tomorrow on who the Rangers will recall from Triple-A to take his place. 

When Holland was recalled from Triple-A it was to replace Matt Harrison who had went on the disabled list with biceps tendinitis.  In six starts before the D.L. stint he had a 1-1 record with a 5.29 ERA.  The Rangers reactivated him from the D.L. on May 29th and he appeared in last nights loss pitching 3 innings giving up four hits and 2 runs, so it looks like he will remain in the bullpen for the time being. 

The only reason that Harrison made the rotation coming out of spring training was to replace the injured Tommy Hunter.  In five starts at Triple-A this season Hunter has a 1-1 record witha 2.91 ERA.  In those five starts he has only pitched 21.2 innings so he should be fresh if he is recalled to the fifth starters position in the Rangers rotation. 

In the first two months of the season the Rangers had the same amount of loses at 12.  In the month of April the Rangers only had 11 wins so they ended the first month of the season under .500.

In the month of May the Rangers got off to a great start winning of 14 of their first 20 games.  Although in the last 7 games they only have one win giving them an overall May record of 15-12 and an overall record of 26-24 the first 50 games of the season.

The first two months of the season are over and the Rangers are doing somethings right and somethings they need to work on, for starters they need opening day starter Scott Feldman to regain his 2009 form as he currently has a 2-5 record with a 5.84 ERA in 2010.

In 146 plate appearances Julio Borbon is hitting .236 with no home runs and two walks, to start the season he was their leadoff hitter, but has since been moved to 9th hole in the batting order, so maybe overtime he will get his swing back.  The Rangers are off on this Memorial Day, so hopefully they can relax and get back to their winning ways.